Lackland Commissary test site for new registers

Staff Sgt. Patrick Van Winkle, 690th Information Support Squadron, uses one of the new six-bag self-check kiosks at the commissary on Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, during the lunch break. The Lackland Commissary is one of five testing sites for the new IBM hardware and software systems the Defense Commissary Agency is looking to use worldwide. (USAF photo by April Blumer) (Photo by April Blumer )

Customers using the new self-check kiosks at the commissary on Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, have the option to scan the barcode, type in the price look-up code or identify the product by image. The Lackland Commissary is one of five testing sites for the new IBM hardware and software systems the Defense Commissary Agency is looking to use worldwide. (USAF photo by April Blumer) (Photo by April Blumer )

Robert Goupil (left) and David Ketchup from IMB install new registers on Feb. 6 at the commissary on Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. The IMB team replaced the 22 existing registers and installed five additional registers, including using some of the registers to create eight new self-checkout lanes. (USAF photo by Alan Boedeker) (Photo by Alan Boedeker)

Eric Endberg dismantles one of the former registers initially installed in the commissary at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in the mid-1990s. The new registers should scan and process faster. (USAF photo by Alan Boedeker) (Photo by Alan Boedeker)

With the new IBM hardware and software system recently installed at the commissary on Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, customers can see the item, cost and running total of their purchases on a large monitor. The Lackland Commissary is one of five testing sites for the new check-out system the Defense Commissary Agency is looking to use worldwide. (USAF photo by Alan Boedeker) (Photo by Alan Boedeker)

"Eight of the self-check registers have a six-bag carousel so customers can sort their groceries after scanning their items," said the store director, Mike Mena. "Those registers will be able to hold a medium-size order."

The remaining four self-check lanes house three-bag carousels and are more appropriate for smaller orders.

According to Mr. Mena, the new registers are much faster than the National Cash Register machines originally installed in the mid-1990s.

"They scan faster. They process faster. This in turn means the (lanes with cashiers) will go faster as well," he said.

The commissary's geographic location, high sales volume and existing acceptance of self-check kiosks gave the superstore the credentials the Defense Commissary Agency was looking for as they considered which five commissaries would serve as operational test and evaluation stores, according to Tony Collazo.

Mr. Collazo, the Customer Advance Resale Transaction System, or CARTS, operations support manager in Fort Lee, Va., said that not only the volume of customers served, but the expansive back-of-the-house operations at the Lackland Commissary would provide both the software and hardware system the thorough testing being sought during the three-month test cycle.

And the customers are testing the system, according to Mr. Mena.

Master Sgt. Patrick James, 345th Training Squadron, is a regular user of self-check kiosks and said the commissary's equipment was on par with other kiosks in the civilian stores.

"It can get a little confusing because there are some extra steps, but you get used to it," he said.

Those extra steps include scanning your military ID card to ensure you have commissary privileges and answering questions on the touchscreen prior to paying, such as payment method and coupon use.

"I like the convenience of the (self-check) lanes," Staff Sgt. Peter Ranjo, 37th Security Forces Squadron, said while waiting for a self-check register during the busy lunch break. "But since there is no limit on the number of items in your cart when checking out, it's making my wait longer today. I stood in line for 20 minutes to buy one thing."

In response to Sergeant Ranjo's concern, Mr. Mena said two of the self-help lanes will be turned into express lanes for customers purchasing 10 items or less.

The testing cycle is scheduled to conclude in April. After evaluating reports from the five test stores in Fort Lewis, Wash., McClellan, Calif., Fort Lee, Sugar Grove, W. Va., and Lackland, Mr. Collazo said DeCA will start looking at whether to launch the IBM products worldwide.

Even if test results come back incompatible for worldwide use, Mr. Collazo assures patrons at the five test sites that they will not lose their new machines.